GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — It has been almost 2 ½ years since the COVID-19 Pandemic flipped our world upside down. With it created ripple effects like the staffing shortages we are feeling today.
According to the WHA Workforce 2022 report pre-COVID, 1 in 10 nurses left their jobs; now, 1 in 5 nurses leave.
However, all is not lost. Nursing student enrollment has stayed consistent even through the pandemic.
Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College is one of those colleges that have withstood the height of the pandemic and are training the next generation of nursing students.
Brian Krough, the Assistant Dean of Nursing, has been shocked by the interest in the healthcare field.
“Through COVID, we have continued to have consistent enrollment for nurses, it's amazing how many people are still interested in nursing and becoming a nurse given what happened during covid.” Said Krough
The reason? Inspiration.
First-year nursing student Jade Schmidt says that despite watching the healthcare world flip upside down, she knew nursing was her only passion.
“I had many people, many people that told me, ‘No, you know there are other options,’ but I didn’t really listen to them because I wanted to help people. People. I wanted to be a nurse.” said Schmidt.
Despite her friends and family's hesitations, Schmidt wasn’t worried
“I think one reason I wanted to become a nurse is because I know they are short-staffed. And knowing I can be there for someone when others can, I just think helping people is for me.”
It's that kind of inspiration that veteran nurse Jody Hanke says she lives for.
“I saw people quit left and right, I had friends quit, I had people in clinicals quit, it was a tough time for everyone.” says Hanke, “but with that, it's very inspiring to see the next generation come in with just a renewed sense of what it means to be a nurse.”
Nursing is not the only section of healthcare that is seeing increased interest. According to the Association of American Colleges, Medical College, medical school applications for the 2021 school year increased by 18%.
